Air-brake-controlling mechanism for block-signal systems.



1). DALE. AIR BRAKE CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR BLOCK SIGNAL SYSTEMS. APPLICATION FILED D3012. 1913.

1,1 13,314. Patented Oct. 13, 1914.

THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTO-LITHQ. wASHlNGmN, D. C.

' DAVID DALE, or orrrcAeo, ILLINois,

Am-BRAKE-ooii'rnomrne"ivinoriarvrsrlr ron nnocx-s e vnnsvsrn vrs.

Specification of Letters I'atent.

Patenteaoct. 13,1914.

Application filed December 12, 1913. Serial No. 806,176.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, DAVID DALE, a cltlzen of the United States of America, and a res1- dent of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Brake- Controlling Mechanisms for Block-Signal Systems, of which the following is a specification.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved form of automatic brake-controlling mechanism adapted't'o be electrically controlled for automatically setting the brakes of a railway car or train when the same approaches a point of danger along. the track such as an open switch, open draw or an occupied block; to provide a device of this kind particularly adapted for use in connection with air brake systems in which the brakes are set through the opening of an air escape-valve; to provide im proved valve opening mechanism adapted when released to acquire considerable momentum before engaging the air escape valve so that the initial engagement is in the nature of a blow; to provide valve releasing mechanism of this kind in which the valve is cammed to its open-position at an increasing velocity after receiving the initial impulse; to provide improved locking means for holding said valve releasing mechanism in its retracted position; to provide improved counter-locking mechanism for se curing said locking mechanism against accidentally releasing said valve releasing mechanism, and to adapted to retract said counter-locking means in advance of the release of said valve releasing mechanism by said locking means.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- F igure 1 is a front elevation of the controlling mechanism, the valve being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in elevation showing the position of the parts when the mechanism is released for causing the setting of the brakes. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation of the mechanism, in the position shown in Fig. 1 but with certain parts in front broken away. Fig. a is a detail as viewed from the plane view partly sectional taken on of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail of provide other means of line'A -A of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail the line B B the end of the lever 2 showing the formation of the cam thereon.

In the construction shown in the drawings the device comprisesga valve 1 and an operating lever 2 mounted ona supporting member or plate3, the lever being adapted to be controlled. by a magnet or motor 1 arranged to actuate an armature 5. I

lhe valve 1 has the casing Gthereof con- ;nected by means of a pipe 7 to the a1r sys tem of the car ortrainyandis arranged so] that whenthe valve member 8 iselevated it will bleed the air system and allow the brakes to becomeset. Thestem 9 of the valve member 8 protrudes from the casing 6 into position to be engaged by the lever 2, the valve member being normally urged into such position by the spring 8.1. u

The operating 'lever2 may be of any suitable design, and ispivotally mounted on a stud '10 secured to the plate; below the valve stem 9. A weight 2.1 is adjustably mounted on the lever 2, by means of which the force of thelever'may becontrolled. An

extension 131s formed on the lever 2 which has the upper edge thereof, adjacentto its plvot, shaped ,to form a cam 11 which is adapted to engage the stem9 for elevating the valve members. The cam 11 is spaced away from. th alv stem 9so thatwhen thelever is first released it "is permitted to obtain considerable momentum before strik- 'ing thejvalve stem 9, wherebythe first impulse of the lever against the valve stem 9 is in the nature of a blow." The other part of the cam is first gradually inclined so that it has a tendency to pry the valve member 8 0H from its seat, and then abruptly inclined as at 12, so thatthe valve member 8 will be quickly moved to its wide open position after it has been pried from its seat.

The outer end of the extension 13l1as a shoulder le formed thereon, which is adapt ed tobe engaged by a c'oacting shoulder 15 formed on the upper end of the arm or catch 5. The catch 5 is supported on a spring 16, which normally urges it away from the magnet 4 into position to cause the engagement of the shoulders 14 'and15. The magnet t is connected by suitable conductors to a contact member (not shown) on the car, so as j toybe energized, upon the'enga gement of said contact with other contacts along the line,

forthe-purpose of retracting the catch 5 to effect the release ofthe lever 2 A suitable In order to prevent the accidental release of the lever 2, the catch 5 is locked in en gagement with the extension 13 by means of a detent 17 pivotally mounted on the nut 18,

which is screwed onto the stud 10 for secur ing the lever 2 thereon. The detent 17 is provided with a shoulder 19, which is normally urged by gravity to rest upon and engage a shoulder 20 on the catch 5, as indicated in Fig. 1. A releasing arm or dog 21 is pivoted at 22 below the detent 17 and has the upper or cam end thereof engaging the inclined edge 23 of the detent 17. A part 21 is attached to the lower end of the dog 21 and extends through the aperture 25 in the catch 5 and into closer proximity with the pole of the, magnet 1 than said catch. The dog 21, under the influence of the magnet 41, is adapted to elevate the detent 17, so as to permit the catch 5 to be retracted from engagement with the extension 13 of the lever 2.

As soon as the contacts on the car and along the road have passed out of engagement the catch 5 will be shifted toward its normal position. The detent 17 also will drop into its normal position and lock the catch against being retracted. Therefore, the lever 2 can not be returned to its normal elevated position either manually or by reason of a recoil, unless the detent 17 is first lifted to release the catch 5 to permit it to recede as the end of the extension 13 is brought in engagement with the inclined upper end of-said catch. 7

The mechanism is placed in a suitable position on the car preferably out of the convenient reach of the engineer or operator, so that after the lever 21s released it will have time to eifect the setting of the brakes be fore the engineer can reset the mechanism.

This insures the lapse of suificient time to permit the engineer to think and acquaint himself with the possibilities of danger ahead. v

The operation of the device :shoWn is as follows: hen the mechanism isset, as shown in'Fig. 1, the air system may be operated in the usual manner with the ordinary control. If upon approaching a block or danger point where the contact on the car or engine is brought into engagement with the contactalong the track, and the circuit is completed through the magnet 1 by reason of the block being occupied or other obstructions to safety, the energization of the magnet 41 will attract the catch 5 and cause it to release the lever 2. In view of the closer proximity of the part2 l to the upper magnet 4', the dog 21 will be instantaneously actuated in advance of the catch5 so as to cause the detent 17 to be elevated an disengage the shoulders 19 and 20. After the lever 2 has descended member in its elevated arranged to actuate sald catch for releaslng said a part of its throw and obtained some m0- mentum the cam 11 will suddenly strike the valve stem 9, and as the gradually inclined part of the cam 11 approaches the stem 9 the valvemember 8 will be pried from its seat. As the more abruptly inclined part 12 of the cam 11 approaches the stem 9, the valve will be rapidly opened to its fullopen position. The elevating of the valve member 8 opens communication between the air system and the atmosphere so that the air system is bled through the aperture 26 in the nipple 27. The rapidity with which the sys iGHl. will be bled may beregulated by the size of the aperture 26..

WVhen it is desired to reset the mechanism, it is necessary for the operator to elevate the lever 2, and at the same time elevate the gravity detent 17 to permit the reengagement of the shoulders 14 and 15.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that some of the details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

l. A device of the class described, comprising a member mounted to swing up and down, a catch adapted to normally hold said position, a magnet member, a detent adapted to lock said catch against accidentally releasing said member, and means adapted to be controlled by said magnet for retracting said detent to permit said catch to be actuated for releasing said member.

2. A device of the class described, comprising a fluid-pressure brake-controlling valve, mechanism adapted to normally urge said valve toward its open position, a catch adapted to hold said mechanism in its retracted position, a magnet arranged adja-' cent to said catch and adapted to actuate it so as to release said mechanism, a detent adapted to lock said catch against accidentally releasing said mechanism, and means adapted to be controlled by said magnet for retracting said detent to permit said catch to be actuated for releasing said mechanism.

3. A device of the class described, comprising a fiuid-pressure brake-controlling valve, a weighted lever pivotally mounted adjacent to said valve and adapted to normally urge said valve toward its open position, a catch adapted to hold said lever in its retracted position, a magnet arranged in position to actuate said catch for releasing said mechanism, a gravity actuated detentadapted to normally engage said catch andlock it against accidentally releasing said lever, and means having a part thereof located between said catch and said magnet hold said lever in its elevated position, a

magnet arranged to actuate said catch to release said lever, a cam carried by said lever and having a part thereof spaced away from said stem so as to permit of a movement of said lever before said cam engages said stem, said cam also having a gradually inclined portion adapted to have initial engagement with said stem so as to pry the valve from its seat, and an abruptly inclined portion adapted to quickly move said valve to a Wide open position after it has been pried from its seat.

5. A device of the class described, comprising a supporting member, a fiuid-pressure brake-controlling valve mounted on said member and having the stem thereof protruding from the casing, a weighted lever pivotally mounted on said supporting member, a cam surface on said lever adapted to engage said valve stem for opening said valve, an extension on said lever, a catch shiftably supported on said member and normally urged into position to engage said extension for holding said lever in its elevated position, a magnet arranged adjacent to said catch and adapted to actuate the same for releasing said lever, a detent mounted on an axis coincident with the axis of said lever and normally urged by gravity to engage said catch so as to prevent the accidental release of said lever, a dog pivotally mounted below said detent and engaging the under side of said detent, and a part carried by said dog and located adjacent to said magnet in advance of said catch, the under side ofdetent being inclined so that when said dog is actuated by said magnet said detent will be elevated so as to disengage said catch.

6. A device of the class described, comprising a supporting member, a fluid-pressure brake-controlling valve mounted on said member having the stem thereof extending below the casing, a weighted lever pivoted below said stem, the pivot of said lever being located in alinement with said stem, a catch adapted to hold said lever in its elevated position, a magnet arranged to actuate said catch to release said lever, a cam carried by said lever substantially concentrically of the pivot thereof and having a part thereof spaced away from said stein so as to permit of a movement of said lever before said cam engages said stem, said cam also having a gradually inclined portion adapted to have initial engagement with said stem so as to pry the valve from its seat, and an abruptly inclined portion adapted to quickly move said valve to a wide open posi ion after it has been pried from its seat.

Signed at Chicago this 9th day of December, 1913.

DAVID DALE. Witnesses:

RUSSELL C. DALE, EDWIN PHELPS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of .Patents,

' Washington, D. G. 

